5 Paranormal Flicks

THIS WEEK'S CATEGORY IS:Paranormal Flicksby James VanOsdolWho doesn't love a good ghost story? We've all parroted classic supernatural movie lines like "I see dead people," "They're here" and "Heeere's Johnny!". But if you're looking to "cross over" from the obvious rental choices of The Sixth Sense, Poltergeist and The Shining, try scaring up some of these flicks:

Just discovered a new genre of film, and you're looking for some shining examples of it to rent? If there's a certain type of flick that's been eluding you, just drop us an e-mail here and we'll do our best to build a list around picks for you.

Carnival of Souls (1962)Running time: 1:18

Candace Hilligloss, Frances Feist, Sidney BergerMary Henry (Hilligloss) walks away from a car crash and starts a new "life" as a church organist in Utah. Questions start to arise almost immediately: Is she alive? Is she dead? Is she something in between? And why is that creepy ghost guy following her everywhere she goes? Carnival of Souls is more than just a cult classic; it's the blueprint for later films like Night of the Living Dead and The Sixth Sense.Why you should rent it:When Mary Henry sees her ghostly pursuer through the car window, it's one of the most chilling moments in paranormal cinema.

Don't Look Now (1973)Running time: 1:40

Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Hilary MasonAfter the death of their daughter, Laura (Christie) and John Baxter (Sutherland) relocate to Venice. Once there, a blind psychic, one of a pair of creepy sisters the Baxters encounter, hits them with a trifecta of disturbing information: She's seen the dead Baxter child's ghost, John has psychic talents, and he's in certain danger. Each frame seems meticulously (and maybe tediously) shot, but the patient viewer is rewarded with a Shyamalan-esque "twist ending" that'll cause many a sleepless night.Why you should rent it:For an unbelievable sex scene, comprised of supercharged erotica (even by today's standards) that still manages to use symbolism and editing to foretell emotions and events to come.

Jacob's Ladder(1990)Running time: 1:55

Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Pena, Danny AielloVietnam vet Jacob Singer's (Robbins) having a hard time with reality. He's seeing people with tentacles. People with tails. People without faces. Are they real or hallucinations? Nothing is ever as it seems in Jacob's Ladder, though all paths appear to lead back to government-sanctioned experiments performed on American soldiers fighting in Vietnam. Why you should rent it:The hospital scene, a figurative (or is it literal?) trip into the bowels of hell.

The Dead Zone(1983)Running time: 1:43

Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Martin SheenThe Dead Zone is one of the few Stephen King movies that succeeds in bettering its source material. Christopher Walken plays Johnny Smith, a coma victim who emerges from a five-year sleep with the gift of "second sight." He can see into the past. He can see into the future. And he can see that Presidential candidate Greg Stillson (Sheen) must be stopped at all costs.Why you should rent it:To watch Martin Sheen chew up the scenery in a role that's the complete opposite of The West Wing's President Bartlet: "The missiles are flying. Hallelujah, Hallelujah!"

The Omen(1976)Running time: 1:51

Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David WarnerThe wife of Robert Thorn, U.S. Ambassador to Britain, delivers a stillborn child at 6 a.m. on the 6th day of the 6th month. Now, we're not numerologists or anything, but if that were our kid, we would've cut our losses and tried again in another nine months. Not Thorn, who agrees to adopt a child whose mother died during birth at the same time. A child with those same numbers, 666, on his head. His name? Damien.Why you should rent it:It's The Omen. A classic. Gregory Peck. The Devil. Not enough? Try these three words: Plate glass decapitation.